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Oputa’s poetry collect, Rummage, was selected for the award, which includes $5,000 in prize money and a publishing contract featuring a $2,000 advance with Little A, Amazon Publishing’s literary imprint.

Little A will publish Oputa’s debut collection next year.

“Rummage is an extraordinary debut, full of startling honesty and relentless investigation into what it means to be alive,” said David Blum, publisher and editor-in-chief of Little A. “We were incredibly impressed and excited by the talented emerging poets that submitted to our contest, and we are thrilled to publish Rummage. Ife-Chudeni A. Oputa’s poetry exemplifies the urgent, emotional and moving poetry that Little A will continue to champion.”

The contest judges were poets Jericho Brown, Cornelius Eady and Kimiko Hahn.

“I am floored,” said winner Ife-Chudeni A. Oputa. “I am thankful to Little A and the judges for creating this contest and for Little A’s continued support of poetry. Having the judges and Morgan Parker see and advocate for my work is such an honor, and I am humbled by the opportunity to share this book with the world.”

According to a news release: “Rummage explores the eternal themes of the human condition—nature, origin, memory, shame, identity, desire, mortality—with sensitivity and specificity. The book is centered on the speaker’s path toward understanding herself, but also speaks to a relatable experience of navigating connection, isolation, and the space in between.”